White GOP Running Mate Of E.W. Jackson Will Not Defend Planned Parenthood Being “Far More Lethal To Black Lives Than The KKK” Comments

Running Mate Of E.W. Jackson Won’t Defend Planned Parenthood Comments

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has said he won’t defend the statements of lieutenant governor candidate E.W. Jackson, including his assertion that Planned Parenthood has “been far more lethal to black lives than the KKK.” But Cuccinelli, too, has drawn similar connections between Planned Parenthood and racism.

In a 2011 speech to the Virginia Christian Alliance, Cuccinelli made reference to Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, who’s sometimes accused of racist motivations for building clinics in low-income and black areas of the country. “I won’t dwell on it, it’s a subject for another day, but I would encourage those of you who are particularly pastoring in black churches — look at the history of that movement,” he said. “Go read Margaret Sanger’s letters about the Harlem Project, and what she wanted to do.”

Cuccinelli also made reference to the idea of Planned Parenthood as a racist organization in a May 2008 edition of his newsletter to supporters, the Cuccinelli Compass. He circulated a Washington Times letter to the editor by Julia Duin, titled “Planned Parenthood decried as ‘racist,’” that also made reference to Sanger. In the text of the article, Cuccinelli added an aside telling supporters to watch a video on YouTube. The video, which has since been removed for violating the streaming video company’s terms of service, was titled “Planned Parenthood Racism Investigation.”

“Well, this should give us all one more thing to pray for … Whether you are for or against abortion, this ‘preventative procedure’ as currently practiced should disgust you,” Cuccinelli wrote in the newsletter.

Jackson made waves last week when YouTube videos surfaced of his past statements, on issues like abortion, racism and gay marriage. In one, he likened Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan. “The Democrat Party has created an unholy alliance between certain so-called civil rights leaders and Planned Parenthood, which has killed unborn black babies by the tens of millions,” Jackson said in the video. “Planned Parenthood has been far more lethal to black lives than the KKK ever was.”

Following the revelations about Jackson’s past comments, Cuccinelli said he was “not going to defend” Jackson’s statements, working to put some distance between himself and Jackson. “I am just not going to defend my running mates’ statements at every turn,” he said. “They’ve got to explain those themselves. Part of this process is just letting Virginia voters get comfortable with us, on an individual basis, personally.”

Cuccinelli spokeswoman Anna Nix said the focus on social issues is Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe’s way of distracting from the important issues in the race. “Ken has always been pro-life. His top priorities are finding ways to grow Virginia’s economy, fighting for middle class taxpayers, and improving our educational system,” she said. “Terry McAuliffe does not want to talk about these important issues or creating jobs in Virginia. Instead, McAuliffe wants to take his experience as DNC Chairman and Democratic fundraiser and run a contentious campaign that divides Virginia.” McAuliffe’s campaign declined to comment.

Democrats are expected to use Cuccinelli’s comments, coupled with Jackson’s, to motivate their base to vote in November. “Ken Cuccinelli and his running mate, E.W. Jackson, can’t help themselves when it comes to outrageous attacks on women’s health care access,” said Anna Scholl, executive director the liberal advocacy group Progress VA. The remarks by Cuccinelli and Jackson “clearly demonstrate this ticket is unified in their dedication to vilifying women and their constitutional rights.”

Wow a GOP member trying to stay away from the topic of race….interesting.

Click HERE if you missed good ole E.W. Jackson’s message to black people on Planned Parenthood, racism, etc.